What does it take to build a business without losing sight of what matters most? In this episode, Josh sits down with entrepreneur Esteban Alarcon to discuss faith, entrepreneurship, discipline, and the pursuit of purpose. Together, they explore why action creates clarity, how fear keeps us stuck, and what it looks like to trust God while building something meaningful.

From overcoming setbacks to redefining success beyond money and status, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom for leaders who want to pursue excellence without compromising their values. If you're building your career, your business, or your life, this episode will challenge you to take the next step.

letstakeastep.com

What happens when the thing you’ve built your identity around is suddenly taken away?

In this powerful episode of the Take A Step Podcast, Josh Johnston sits down with former head football coach Chris Hirschfield to discuss his journey through success, failure, addiction, recovery, and redemption. After years of chasing achievement, Chris found himself battling an identity crisis that led to the loss of his coaching position, struggles with alcohol, and a season of deep brokenness.

But through surrender, faith, and a commitment to taking the next right step, Chris discovered that true identity isn’t found in titles, accomplishments, or results—it’s found in Christ.

This conversation explores leadership, purpose, resilience, and the courage to rebuild when life falls apart. If you’ve ever felt stuck, defined by your past, or unsure of your next step, this episode will challenge and encourage you to keep moving forward.

If you would like to donate to support Chris's FCA efforts, you can do that at this link: https://my.fca.org/?form=chrishirschfield&keyword=Jimmy%20Hardeman

In this episode of The Take A Step Podcast, Josh Johnston and John Szarszewski continue the 8-Step Journey by exploring Step 6: Find the Support.

They discuss how the people around you influence your mindset, shape your expectations, and ultimately determine your ceiling.

From entrepreneurship and marriage to faith and personal growth, Josh and John share why intentional relationships are essential for becoming the person you’re called to be. They unpack the dangers of isolation, the power of accountability, and why surrounding yourself with people who share your future is more important than sharing a common past.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, unsupported, or limited by your environment, this conversation will challenge you to evaluate your circle and take ownership of the relationships that are shaping your life.

Your circle determines your ceiling. Choose wisely.

What happens when a child raised in an abusive household, left homeless at 21, sleeping in bushes on a college campus, refuses to give up? Shane Wahner story is one of the most extraordinary you'll hear.

In this episode, Shane opens up about surviving a brutal childhood, building a thriving business from nothing, losing it all, and finding his way back — through faith, fatherhood, and an unwavering belief that every hardship exists to make you stronger. Now the founder of the Becoming Limitless movement, Shane is on a mission to equip the next generation with the mindset and practical tools they need to build lives of purpose and impact. Don't miss this one.

In this episode of the Take a Step Podcast, Josh Johnston sits down with Jeff Levitan — entrepreneur, mentor, and founder of Vantage — for a wide-ranging conversation on what it truly takes to build a meaningful life. Jeff shares his journey from running a college painting franchise at 19 to mentoring thousands of entrepreneurs. Together, they dig into ownership culture, emotional intelligence, the relationship between money and fulfillment, and why taking action matters more than consuming content. If you're ready to live with more purpose and intention, this one's for you.

Links:

• Take A Step
• Vantage
• Jeff's Instagram

Lou Samara has lived many lives — Italian kid from Jersey, SWAT officer, corporate manager, entrepreneur, author. But behind the résumé was a story he hadn't told anyone, one buried so deep his own mind hid it for decades. In this raw and powerful episode, Lou opens up about the sequence of loss that cracked him open: his father's sudden death, a stillborn child on 9/11, and a career collapse — all within 18 months. What followed was a 20-year journey of therapy, faith, forgiveness, and rebuilding. Lou shares how confronting childhood sexual abuse, breaking generational patterns, and learning to truly forgive transformed not just his inner world, but his business and marriage. His book, The Forgiveness Effect, is the result — and this conversation is a compelling preview of why.

Buy The Forgiveness Effect here: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Effect-Journey-Courage-Healing/dp/1732936412

Follow Lou on Instagram here: @lousamara

What does it really look like to be a driven professional and a present, intentional father? In this episode, Josh and John get real about the messy, rewarding journey of fatherhood — from the nine-month head start moms have on connection, to why your marriage has to come before your kids. They break down practical strategies like the weekly husband-wife meeting, building family core values, and teaching kids ownership through an entrepreneurial "gigs" system. They also get vulnerable sharing their own parenting fails. At the heart of it all is a simple truth: the same intentionality you bring to building a business needs to come home with you. Because your kids aren't just listening — they're watching.

Dale Alexander joins the podcast for a powerful conversation on money, purpose, discipline, and the long road to meaningful success. From building a business over decades to impacting thousands of students through his book The Talk (About Money), Dale shares why growth matters more than quick results, how generosity changes your perspective on life, and why action creates clarity. If you’ve ever felt stuck, uncertain about your next step, or frustrated by comparison and pressure, this episode will challenge you to redefine success and start building a life rooted in purpose instead of performance.